Staff Insights

Secondary School teachers have just launched their Interim Reports to help parents prepare for the upcoming interviews. These Interim Reports are difficult things to write, based as they are on short and often interrupted periods of teaching. With Year 7 camp taking many staff away from classes for a week, Moderation day and Athletics both taking out a day each, to say nothing of public holidays, staff are still refining their knowledge of student work habits. Please view the reports as a part of that process: a conversation starter for parents and students that will enhance communication and inform teaching and learning.

As I write this, team members are troubleshooting a few frustrating issues with the interview booking system but it is lovely to see how many families have already booked interviews, demonstrating their keen interest in education. For the first time, we are asking that students accompany their parents to the interviews, which we are confident will be a valuable addition to the process and in keeping with our intent to have students aware of their current progress and informed about how to improve.

As many of you know, this same ethos underpins the roll out of On-Line, In-Time (or continuous) reporting for Years 7–10 this semester. For those interested, Teacher Magazine, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) recently included an article on the international movement in this direction. As the article discusses, this form of reporting involves a potential tension between teacher workload and the formality of traditional reporting. Teachers have been providing feedback to students and reporting to parents for many years. In the model that Radford has adopted, the less formal but timely student feedback will be made visible to parents too. I am sure that you will appreciate, our staff teach approximately 125 students, each of whom complete at least three tasks a semester; the amount of data that is produced is prodigious. As a consequence, we are asking for your indulgence should a grammatical or typographical error appear.

Students will be asked to complete online reflections on their performance and the feedback provided, ensuring that the feedback is processed and a plan for improvement crystallised. To access this data please open SEQTA – either via Radford Online or through the SEQTA ENGAGE App (instructions sent with a recent email) - and look for the notifications icon.

• On a computer desktop, the notifications icon appears as a golden bell in the top right-hand side of the page with the number of notifications superimposed on it.

• On the app, the number of notifications appears on the app icon as well as on the orange bell in the top right-hand side of the screen, once you open the app.

Alternatively, you can click on Assessments in the drop-down menu on the left and then choose a subject. You will see a list of upcoming assessments by date at the top of the screen with marked items appearing below that. Please read and follow the short instructions on the screen. For clarity the component parts of the assessment task will appear as separate bar graphs indicating relative strengths and weaknesses. Staff have been asked to provide one overarching comment which will appear below on of the bar graphs. Student reflections will be visible there too.

At the end of semester, the overview of performance will still be published but without the retrospective commentary by subject. As ever, we will review the efficacy of this model of reporting and welcome your feedback. You can reach me at bill.weigall@radford.act.edu.au

Finally, this week, I am pleased to inform you that NAPLAN Online will soon be with us again. Our tireless staff are testing Wi-Fi capacity in the new Morison Centre, installing the app on student lap tops, arranging seating plans, preparing to train supervising staff and compiling information to send to parents of students in the NAPLAN Years. If you child is not facing NAPLAN this year we are likely to be in touch about AAS or Allwell testing instead. I hope that you and your charges have had a wonderful start to 2019 and my team and I look forward to working with you for the remainder.

Rev. Erin Tuineau

My prayer is that we do not lose sight of God’s dream

Since my last two articles focused on our need to reflect on where we have ventured down the wrong path in our lives, I thought that this week I probably should be a bit more ‘up beat’ and discuss a more positive topic. Our culture seems to demand this of us at times, as we have a real resistance to reflecting on the areas of life that are not perfect. And then last Friday happened. 50 people are murdered in a Christchurch Mosque, in New Zealand, while they were praying. Praying. And then we all get another wake-up call that things are not right in our world. And then when we find out that one of the people arrested for this massacre is an Australian man, we think, something is seriously wrong in Australia. Sometimes Australians have been the victims in terrorist attacks, but in this case, he was the perpetrator. This raises a lot of questions about our culture. Our identity.

I cannot imagine the pain that the family and friends of those 50 people who were murdered are going through at the moment. They must be in their only living hell. The only thing we can do is mourn with them. They need to know that we are with them.

I was sitting with my son on Saturday, going through his bookshelf, and he found an old book that we used to read so much that it has completely fallen apart. It is called ‘God’s Dream’. It was written by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams. It is a book that reminds us how we are meant to live together, and I will share some of it below:

“Do you know what God dreams about? If you close your eyes and look with your heart, I am sure, dear child, that you will find out.

God dreams about people sharing.

God dreams about people caring.

God dreams that we reach out and hold one another’s hands and play one another’s games and laugh with one another’s hearts.

But God does not force us to be friends or to love one another.

Dear Child of God, it does happen that we get angry and hurt one another. Soon we start to feel sad and so very alone.

Sometimes we cry, and God cries with us. But when we say we’re sorry and forgive one another, we wipe away our tears, and God’s tears, too….

God dreams that everyone of us will see that we are all brothers and sisters - yes even you and me - even if we have different mommies and daddies or live in different faraway lands.

Even if we speak different languages or have different ways of talking to God. Even if we have different eyes or different skin…

Dear Child of God, do you know how to make God’s dream come true? It is really quite easy.

As easy as sharing, loving, caring. As easy as holding, playing, laughing. Easy as knowing we are family because we are all God’s children”.

My prayer is that we do not lose sight of God’s dream. As individuals, as a nation. As a world community. I know we are often encouraged to follow our own dreams, because we live in such an individualistic culture, but we need to always make sure that those dreams are in line with God’s dream, or we will all suffer. May God continue to be with all of us on our Lenten journey as we continually seek to align ourselves with the heart of Christ, the Lover of all.

Important dates

Autumn is a glorious time to be living in Canberra. Students have shared stories of their family attending community events, including the Balloon and Enlighten festivals.

Autumn is a time of cooler evenings, warm rather than hot days, and the multi-coloured trees reflecting the change in seasons. Like autumn, itself, life in the Junior School is also about change. Students are more commonly wearing warmer attire, learning experiences are being offered and observed for student reviews, and calendars are filling up with schedules for winter activities.

Not surprisingly, research suggests that the more parents and teachers share relevant information with each other about a student, the better equipped both will be to help each student achieve their potential.

In addition to being provided with written reports twice a year, parents are offered the opportunity to discuss their child’s educational performance with teachers at the beginning of Term 2.

Our staff continue to gather information on students to enable the deliberate planning and facilitation of challenging and engaging learning experiences.

Lost propertyIt is paramount that your child’s belongings are clearly labelled. A regular check that labels are still clear and easily read can prove invaluable. Some students are regularly relying on the availability of a spare hat from reception - a request becoming increasingly difficult to accommodate.

CarparkWe are grateful to the parents and caregivers who continue to bring a positive outlook and high degree of patience to the Pick and Drop/Go area. Student safety remains a priority for us all.

Brent Larkham, Head of Sport

Congratulations to Jake Smith Gibson on receiving the NSW Districts Cricket Association Under 13 Bowler of the Year award. Jake collected his award at the SCG on Tuesday 12 March.

Last weekend saw the Radford Under 11 Cricket team have an incredibly exciting victory in the Division 1 Grand Final. For a school team to win a Division 1 competition in any sport is a very special achievement.

After a tremendous season where the team won 12 out of their 13 games to finish second on the ladder, the semi-finals were upon them. A tight 20‑run victory against Queanbeyan moved them into the Grand Final to play Norths who had beaten the top team, Wests, for their place in the final.

Norths batted first and got off to a flying start, scoring 96 runs in the first 10 overs. The Radford team’s heads were down, as no team had scored runs like that against them all season. An inspiring speech from coach Greg Boorer saw a far better bowling performance in the next 10 overs, to restrict Norths to 164–a massive total to chase given the opposition gains four extra runs with every wicket you lose in your innings.

A solid start and consistent chase while losing only three wickets saw the total become achievable, with five overs to spare. Fergus Boorer eventually scored the winning runs with one ball to spare but we still needed to face the last ball as we had only a three-run lead. If “Gussy” had got out on the last ball, victory would have gone to Norths. However, a very straight bat defensive block followed by a very loud “no” call from Gussy (and 50‑odd Radford supporters on the boundary!!!) saw Radford come out on top. It was an incredible game of cricket from all concerned. Amber Smith Gibson, the team’s captain for the year, produced the Man (Woman!) of the Match performance with five wickets, some great wicket‑keeping, multiple catches and 25 runs as well.

Congratulations to coach Greg Boorer and the entire team (listed below) on a truly fantastic season and what looks like a great future ahead for these young cricketers.

Amber Smith Gibson (c) Joshua Barnett

Chris Kent Matthew Larkham

Fergus Boorer Vihaan Vikramadithyan

Henry Johnson Alex Kulawiec

NEW BALANCE DISCOUNT BENEFITS FAMILIES AND THE COLLEGE

The College has entered into an arrangement with the New Balance sports apparel company.

Radford families who purchase items from the company's website, raise funds for the College.

A code - RADCOL25 - has been created for staff, students and families to use on the website - newbalance.com.au

This code provides users with a 25% discount off all items (other than digital and items already at a clearance price).

All sales via this code will generate a 10% rebate to Radford College.

TOUCH FOOTBALL

On Thursday 7 March, the Radford Stormers (Year 6-7 Boys) went down to the Dingoes in extra time 5-4. Congratulations to the boys and coaches, Ms Tara Mitchell and Eliza Malouf.

BRUMBIES 7s COLLEGE GALA DAY

Congratulations to the Year 11 & 12 girls team for taking out the Brumbies High School/College 7s competition on Friday 15 March. The girls managed to take home the trophy against five other Canberra schools.

OZTAG

The finals of the Oztag series were played on Wednesday 6 March. The Radford Panthers fought hard, eventually going down to the All Stars 5-3. It was a great season for all teams.

The Christchurch massacre is one of the most extreme acts of terrorism the world has seen in recent times. For New Zealand, it was a loss of innocence. SchoolTV was actually filming in Auckland when news broke of the harrowing events unfolding in Christchurch.

Unfortunately, this will impact on many kids throughout Australia and New Zealand. Some parents and care givers may struggle to explain this tragedy to their young people, many of whom are already struggling with high levels of anxiety about the state of their world.

It is important to put this event into context for children of all ages. Although we cannot control what happens in our world, we can choose the way we respond. The distressing nature of this event will never be forgotten, but at the same time we should not allow it to permanently disturb or destroy our future generations.

In this Special Report, parents and caregivers will be provided with practical strategies on how to talk their children in a reassuring manner. It will also highlight the necessity to be aware of the signs of trauma, should a child be adversely affected.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact me, the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or other professional help.

Music Department

The Foundation Concert this year, “The Peaceable Kingdom”, will be held in the Radford Chapel from 7pm on Saturday 30 March. The concert will be a gift of thanks to recently retired, long-term Radford staff member Richard Wardman, in acknowledgement of his many years of service to Radford Music.

The evening will feature choral performances by our Camerata and Vox choirs. They will be joined by guest artists Luminescence Chamber Singers. We are lucky to have special guest performances by Radford Collegians Katrina Waters (Class of 1993), soprano, and Katrina Vesala (Class of 2010), violin/viola, and current Radford staff member Emily Leong, piano. Read Collegians Association interviews with Katrina Waters and Katrina Vesala.

The evening promises to be a fitting musical celebration of our college and I warmly welcome all members of our community to join us. Tickets are $15 and available from TryBooking.

Lindy Braithwaite

Following successful tours with Antipodeans to India 2004, Turkey 2008, France 2010, Europe 2012, Europe 2014, Europe 2016 and Europe 2019, Radford College is excited to announce the launch of our next tour with Antipodeans, to Peru in June 2020 (dates to be confirmed, approximately 30 June-14 July). Student travel specialists Antipodeans bring more than 25 years’ experience in conducting secondary school tours through 30+ developing countries.

This tour gives students the opportunity of an amazing educational experience in the world beyond the classroom, in the new destination of Peru, South America. This tour will take in the sites of Peru such as Arequipa, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Ollantaytambo, the Condors in the Colca Canyon, the floating islands of Lake Titicaca, and of course, the UNESCO heritage site of Machu Picchu.

As well as visiting these amazing sites, this small group tour will be one that focusses in part on developing the skills of young people highlighted in the Radford Learner. Students will travel as a team with supervising teachers and an Antipodeans Tour Leader. They will:

visit and learn about Antipodeans sustainable community projects that are linked to the UN Global Compact and its sustainable impact goals

participate in Team Fundraising for the Antipodeans Community Project contribution.

Eligibility for the tour:

Students will need to be in Year 11 or Year 12 in 2020, and a merit application process will be in place, as trip numbers will be limited.

We strongly recommend you consider this opportunity for your child and find out more at our Parent and Student Information Evening to be held on Thursday 21 March at 6.00pm in the Heath Lecture Theatre.

At the Antipodeans’ presentation, we will discuss the program, its benefits, safety and back-up, fundraising support and answer any questions you might have about this unique and rewarding educational opportunity. If you are unable to attend please register anyway and we will send you information via email.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, Lindy Braithwaite, or contact Joe Lodge. We look forward to seeing you at the information evening.

Last weekend, the Radford rowers - from Year 8 to Senior Level- packed the boat trailer and set off for the New South Wales Schoolgirl and Schoolboy Head of the River events.

Held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre, it was an opportunity for our crews to show off their talent and finish the season.

All crews displayed the results of their outstanding efforts over the course of the season and gained some valuable and memorable experience racing against a number of prestigious NSW school crews.

On Saturday, the girls competed across a range of different boats. Totalling 17 different crews overall, they represented the school in Single, Double, Quad and Eight events during the day. The Year 8 girls performed remarkably well, especially considering it was their first time racing at a NSW Head of the River.

Year 9 double scullers Ruby Archer and Nea Exell commenced Radford’s racing in the third race of the day. The Year 10 Eight - Jess Schroder, Danielle Buckman, Georgia Nicholson, Olivia Hombsch, Kiara Shaw, Bridget Kelleher-Cole, Niamh Pascoe, Sarah Wilford and cox Jemima Green - stepped up to the podium to receive a silver medal. This was an impressive feat, particularly given that this was the first ever women’s first eight to represent Radford at the Head of the River.

The Double Scull of Lily Smith-Saarinen and Lissie Gregory made it through the final, placing third against some tough competition. Furthermore, Niamh Pascoe achieved an impressive third place in the final of her Year 10 Single Scull event.

To cap off a successful day of racing, the senior girls’ quad - Lily Smith-Saarinen, Jacinta Buckman, Lissie Gregory, Tilly Stanier and cox Spencer Burns - applied maximum effort, earning them second place in the final event of the day, the First Coxed Quad Scull.

The following day, the Radford boys’ squads zuited up and competed against some of the top rowing schools from the ACT and NSW. Despite tough racing conditions due to the wet weather, the boys could still be seen cheering and supporting the other crews, as well as achieving a set of incredible results.

Highlights included Year 8 boys Hunter Jolly and Oli Fox earning second place in their Year 8 Double Scull event. Additionally, the Year 9 second double devised of Oliver Bailey and James Dixon achieved third place. In the third single scull, Callum Durnell placed third, earning him a bronze medal. Tyson Munro also won the Year 9 Second Single Scull event.

In Year 10, Lachlan Barrett earned silver in the Year 10 Second Single Scull. What’s more, Sam Roberts and Angus Abbott earned silver in the Second Double Scull Category. The Year 10 coxed quad - Ethan Toscan, Sam Roberts, Angus Abbot, Tyson Munro and cox Jemima Green - won bronze in a close finish between them, second, and fourth place.

Further highlights of the day included the second coxed quad - Nick Seddon, Lucas Lang, Griffin Williamson, Josh Everett and cox Jemima Green -achieving first place in the second division of the Coxed Quad Scull.

Joseph Walker also achieved a silver in his Second Single Scull event. Damien Schroder and Noah Sampson earned a gold medal in the first double scull. Ethan Kruger also achieved second place in the division 3 single scull.

Over the course of the weekend, the Radford rowers achieved a total of 17 medals over two days of racing, an outstanding achievement for all our athletes who competed.

A massive thank you to Vicky Spencer, Director of Rowing, and all the coaches, staff and parents who made the weekend such a success. Also, a huge thanks goes to Heath Shaw in Year 8 for going out of his way to help many crews during the day. All the rowers should be very proud of their efforts over the weekend and the course of this rowing season.

Lachie Baker

Lachie Baker reflects on two wonderful months in France on exchange

By Lachie Baker

Over what was the summer holidays here in Australia, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to brave the cold of a European winter as a part of my Exchange program with Lycée Blaise Pascal in Segré, France. For almost two whole months I learnt, read, and spoke in French, spending much of my time in a French boarding school, as well as on my host family’s farm over Christmas and New Year. This was extremely beneficial in terms of my control of the language and makes all the challenges of being “thrown into the deep end” worthwhile. Over these two months I also got to soak up all the best parts of French culture, most notably the food, wine and cheese. I was also able to visit Paris, the beaches of Normandy and many different castles, as well as experience and enjoy all the traditions around Christmas time.

I cannot be more thankful for having such a welcoming and supportive host family and exchange. They were more than happy to turn themselves inside out to ensure I got the absolute most out of this experience. This whole exchange has taught me so much, not only about the language but also about organisation, solo travelling, and gratitude. As well as this, I have also been able to make some amazing lifelong friends along the way.

I would like to extend a very heartfelt thank you to Madame Bateman for her organisation and support, as well as all the other staff and students at Lycée Blaise Pascal for their help throughout. Finally, I would like to thank my amazing parents for their unwavering support in this endeavour, as I could not have partaken in such a fantastic opportunity without them.

There is so much more to take away from this exchange than just a better grasp of the French language, which is why I believe it is so beneficial and would recommend it to any other students who wish to follow suit.

Michele Sharp, Head of Languages

On Monday we welcomed 22 students and two teachers from our sister school, Konko Gakuen in Okayama, Japan. They will be hosted by Year 9 and 10 students and their families, with many of the Year 10 students travelling to Okayama later this year for a reciprocal visit as part of our Japanese Study Tour program. This is Konko Gakuen’s second visit and the September Study Tour will be Radford’s third time being hosted.

These sister school programs, and our wider languages exchange programs, provide our students with an excellent opportunity to contextualise the learning undertaken during lessons. If you are interested in becoming a host family for future short‑ or long‑term exchanges, please express your interest via this link: Host Family Expression of Interest.

It is with the kind support of families that we are able to continue these programs.

_________________________

Language Assistants

This year we will be hosting three Language Assistants for the language programs in the Secondary School. Assistants are a fabulous resource for the Language Department as they contextualise learning for the students and support teachers in developing authentic language teaching materials.

Assistants live with Radford families during their stay, which gives them the opportunity to improve their English language skills and learn about everyday life in Australia. We are always very grateful to families who support this program by hosting an assistant for a term. If you are interested in hosting in the future, please express your interest on the Host Family Expression of Interest form.

Below is a reflection by Juliette Denis, who recently arrived from France to begin her role as Language Assistant. Welcome Juliette!

Juliette Denis, French Language Assistant

Hello everyone!

I came here as a Language Assistant, I am the French Assistant. I didn’t really know what to expect when I arrived here. Would teaching be as I imagined it? Would the teachers be nice? Would I be able to understand people through the Australian accent?

Well, arriving here, I discovered Australia and Radford as I couldn’t have imagined it. Everything is amazing, especially the students. They are very smart, and I was surprised by how good their French was. Likewise, everyone has been extremely nice to me. The teachers even came with a cake and decoration for my birthday, and my host family also made it unforgettable. They took me to some places I couldn’t have seen by myself because they knew I would like it.

Being here is a wonderful opportunity, Radford is amazing and I am learning so much. I am glad to be able to share French culture with students, as the French system is slightly different.

Indeed, in France, classes are up to forty students in one class in what would be your year 12. Students are less focused and in languages this difference of number of people in a class is very important, because we can’t really work over the speaking. We mostly work reading and writing whereas here students also learn how to speak properly, which is necessary. We also don’t have the right to have a computer in classrooms until university. French students then don’t have access to tools like OneNote, linguoscope or quizlet to work their classes. I think we could learn from the Australian system by using these tools, because they are practical and might interest some students.

For now, being here has been wonderful, and I only wish it will sustain its momentum.

Jane Lilley, Teacher

National Ride 2 School Day is on Friday 22 March and we welcome all Year 3-12 students to join other Radford students and staff to ride their bikes to school.

We have arranged for teachers to meet capable bike riders at a variety of meeting points listed at the foot of this article. Our RAS team will be cooking pancakes at the Pavilion for riders who have worked up an appetite getting to school.

Please read the conditions and expectations below, and go through them with your child/children before Friday 22 March:

· A fitted helmet, and well-maintained bike with pumped tyres are essential

· Please arrive at departure point 10 mins before departure time

· It is the responsibility of the parent to ensure that their child arrives to the meeting place punctually. Should the group depart before you arrive, it is the parent’s responsibility to ensure their child arrives safely to school

· All students will be expected to stay with the group and follow the road rules and instructions provided by Radford staff

· Due to various co-curricular commitments, the return ride will not be accompanied by staff. This will be the responsibility of each family to arrange the return ride with their child

· In the case of wet weather, drizzle, rain or lightning the ride will be cancelled and a notification will be added to the Announcements page of Radford Online.

· If your child is in PK-Yr 2, or is a less-confident Year 3-6 rider, they are welcome to ride if they are accompanied by a parent/adult carer.

· Asthmatics must carry their own puffer with them in their bag

Fluorescent reflective ankle straps and/or vests can make your child more visible to road traffic and you may choose to use these should you wish to provide additional safety measures.

Please note departure locations and times below, and arrive at departure point 10 minsbefore departure time:

ARANDA: Meet at the underpass on Bandjalong Street for a 7.50am departure

HAWKER: Meet Carpark at KFC for 7.30am departure

FLOREY: Meet at the Bicycle Path at the end of Edman Close for a 7.40am departure

GIRALANG: Meet on the bicycle path on Chuculba Crescent (parallel to Baldwin Drive) for a 7.40am departure

O'CONNOR: Meet on the cycle path on Dryandra Street at the bottom of O'Connor Ridge (near the driveway of old Canberra Motor Inn) for a 7.45am departure

Bronwyn Stanbury, Head of Science

Year 11 students are invited to apply for the National Youth Science Forum Year 12 Program

The NYSF Year 12 Program is a 12-day residential program designed to give students a broader understanding of the diverse study and career options available in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and to encourage continued studies in these fields.

Students applying for NYSF 2020 are required to submit an application through the NYSF website. Rotary Clubs can also be contacted to support students with their applications.

In a new initiative, we are asking that students please attend these interviews with their parents or caregivers.

Booking Information• Bookings for Secondary School Parent Teacher Student Interviews are made through Radford Online. Your Radford Online user name and password are printed on the top of your child’s 2019 Commencement Letter. A Radford Online user guide is available on our website.

• Bookings open on Monday 18 March at 7.00 am and close midnight the night before each interview day. We encourage you to make bookings early to avoid inconvenience or disappointment. The interview time with each teacher will be five minutes.

• Please click on the tile on the Radford Online dashboard titled Secondary School Parent Teacher Interviews (tile will be visible from 7.00 am on Monday 18 March). Please ensure that any Ad Blocker is turned off or disabled for this site as your logon page will not appear. If you are using Safari on a Mac the popup blocker is found in the settings section. Most other browsers have an icon that appears at the far right of the address bar. Click on it and “allow for this site”.If you have any problems booking your interview, please contact Main Reception on 6162 6200 or reception@radford.act.edu.au

Student Finishing Times on Interview daysStudents in Years 7–12 will be dismissed from class at 2.35 pm on Tuesday 2 April and Monday 8 April as interviews commence at 3.00 pm. • Students in Years 7–10 not travelling directly home at 2.35 pm are asked to report to the Secondary School Library where supervision will be provided• Students in Year 11 and 12 will be dismissed at 2.35 pm and are free to leave the College at that time if they are not required for interviews• Unless advised otherwise, cocurricular activities will operate as usual• School buses will run as per the normal schedule from 3.30 pm.

ParkingParking for parents is available in the car park behind the Performing Arts Centre, along the road towards the back of the College and in the carparks by the Gymnasium, Mackinnon Building and Morison Centre. Please do not park in the ELC and Junior School parking areas until after 3.45 pm.

InterviewsRadford College teachers are looking forward to discussing the progress of your child this term. In preparing for the interviews, each of the teachers have been asked to consider your child’s engagement with learning, application in class, achievements to date, individual needs and ways for improvement.

If you would like to further discuss your child’s overall progress further after the interview, I would encourage you to either speak to their Tutor or Head of Year.

In addition to booked parent interviews with your child’s teachers, the Principal, Mrs Fiona Godfrey, and I will be available for informal discussions with parents (no bookings are required).

•Students are expected to arrive at school prior to 8:30am, but not before 8:00am, unless participating in a supervised College activity.

• Students who arrive after 8.30am are required to sign in at the Attendance Office.

• Years 11 and 12 students are required to sign-in if they have a free lesson in Period 1.

• When leaving the College early for appointments etc all students must sign out at the Attendance Office. No student may leave the College grounds during school hours (8:30am–3:30pm) unless authorised by a parent or guardian in the form of a note, email or phone call to the Attendance Office.

• If a student is absent from school, parents are required to ring or email the Attendance Office on the morning of the absence.

• When a student is to be absent from school for more than two days, for reasons other than illness, a written request should be made to the Head of Year at least one week prior, or as soon as possible before the date of the impending absence.

• An SMS is sent to parents if a student is absent from school without notification from a parent.

The Radford Foundation is delighted to announce the financial support of the Boorer Foundation to provide a full six-year scholarship to a student commencing Year 7 at Radford College in 2020.

The scholarship will cover 100% of the Tuition and Capital Levy fees and up to 100% of compulsory College-related costs for six years (Years 7 through 12 inclusive).

The scholarship will be awarded to a student who demonstrates outstanding achievement and community or sporting involvement, but whose personal circumstances prevent them from enrolling at Radford. The recipient will remain anonymous throughout their six years at Radford.

The Boorer Foundation’s Chair, Margaret Hemsley, who has four sons at the College, said she has seen first-hand the benefits of a Radford education and wanted to extend that opportunity to a student who was not yet a part of the community.

'From our own life experience, my husband and I understand the value of a good, and well-rounded, education and the lifetime of opportunity such an education can provide. We are appreciative of the experience our family is enjoying at Radford and believe that, over time, scholarships such as this will change a child’s life whilst strengthening the Radford community as a whole.'

Radford Foundation Chair Jocelyn Martin said the directors were grateful for the Boorer Foundation’s support and they looked forward to awarding the scholarship to a student who would make the most of the opportunity presented to them.

Families and students wishing to apply are initially asked to complete and submit this two-page application form by the closing date of Friday, 31 May 2019.

Shortlisted applicants’ families will then be required to complete a financial statement and verify these statements, as well as provide referees. NB: Only applicants who are short-listed will be asked to complete this financial statement.

The scholarship will be awarded in time for the new student to take their place in the 2020 Year 7 orientation and induction sessions during 2019.

This is an open invitation event for adults in the Canberra community with an interest in issues relating to young people and alcohol. It is particularly suited to those caring for or working with Year 7–9 students.

'Parents often wait until it is too late before setting rules and boundaries around alcohol and parties. Put simply, if you haven’t had a discussion with your child about this area by the beginning of Year 9, at the latest, you are almost certainly going to have problems in the future.'

Using the most recent data on the use of alcohol by school-based young people, this presentation will discuss the growing evidence on the risks associated with this practice. There will also be a close examination of the positive influence that parents can have on their child’s drinking behaviour, as well as some of the barriers that they may face during adolescence. It aims to empower parents with a positive message and assist them in having open and honest family discussions in this complex area.

P&F Association

Radford College P&F Association is fundraising with Entertainment. Funds raised by the P&F are donated to the College in support of projects to benefit the students. One recent project was a minibus used to transport students to excursions, service activities, outdoor education and so on.

College minibus sponsored by P&F Association

Your support really helps the College, so we’re thrilled to let you know about special bonus Early Bird Entertainment Membership Offers for loyal supporters.

Pre-order the NEW 2019 | 2020 Entertainment Membership (book or digital membership) and receive bonus offers you can use right away.

By Rob Stretch, Embedded Program Coordinator for OEG at Radford College

Our recent program with the Year 7 students a few weeks ago, spending five days and four nights at Biloela, was a resounding success, thanks in no small part, to the hard work from Mrs Woods, the Year 7 Tutors and teachers.

Fundamentally, this program focuses developing relationships and friendships and accepting challenge. Using the Radford Learner Traits as a tool for the student holistic development, we can focus in on core qualities and attributes that we seek to develop here at Radford.

This Year 7 program is the first step within the Secondary school that helps Radford to build foundations for our student’s continued development as valued members and leaders in society.

With teachers and tutors there at these times of challenge, we have a great opportunity to see student’s growth and celebrate their success. These touch points help in the long-term pastoral care and support of students as they move through the school.

Overall then a great week with some positive learnings. Don’t listen to me though, this is what the students and teachers said.

Quotes from the week about the positive impact of the program.

Teachers

“Overall the program was quality. Good staff, good activities and well structured.”

“The experiences provided really challenged students. There were opportunities they’ve never had before so it was very fun to do them. Mr Dribbly is a great invention. The procedures involved with making the camp happen are impressive!”

“The experience was very worthwhile, I only rated it as `met expectations’ as I had already been on a camp so knew what to expect, to exceed that would be very high!”

“Group leaders are wonderful and very kind with the students. Very knowledgeable as well.”

Year 12 Mentors

"Going on Year 7 camp as a mentor brought my journey at Radford full circle. It helped me to reflect on how I have developed since I was a Year 7 on camp. During my time with the younger students, I recognised the sense of camaraderie and community amongst them that is essential as they embark on the next exciting chapter of their lives together."

"We had fantastic leaders, they were so organized, great with the kids but also made the whole experience fun. As a mentor I found it enjoyable helping the kids and the leaders wherever I was needed."

"To next year’s mentors, throw yourself into the camp. Talk with the group instructors and your teachers, you’ll be surprised what sort of stories they have to tell and how funny they are. Strike up a conversation with all the kids and do whatever actives you can with them. This camp is a great icebreaker and hopefully will be the start of some special friendships."

Year 7 Students

"The best camp I’ve ever been on."

"I thought it was positive because I had an amazing group."

"I started it as very positive as I believe that this experience will help me in the future. Plus, I have made new friends during the way."

"In this camp you learn about you and what you can do. It helps you push yourself and work on the skills you don’t normally get to test. You also learn how to work with, and as, a group. This experience will make friends, skills and memories."

"Biloela is an amazing camp and it teaches many values that don’t only apply to camping and outdoor living but your ordinary life as well. It encourages working as a team and bravery to overcome some of the challenges you may face."

"I really enjoyed the way Biloela was structured. It was super fun doing the activities that we could, especially the abseiling and the mountain bike riding. All of it was part of the interactive experience, including the cooking! We got to cook our own food. That was especially well set up. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is nervous about going. Camp was brilliant."

"At first it is a little weird because there are only drop toilets and there is no Wi-Fi but it’s good to try every challenge. The activities were very fun like canoeing and if you are scared to try something new just have a go at it and you might like it."

The purpose of this camp is to provide students with an opportunity to engage with a range of different performance styles and conventions outside the classroom and to work together to build ensemble and collegiality as the senior drama cohort.

Both classes combined and spent two days in Warrambui, exploring different styles of theatre. With the help of director Pip Buining, the students devised a performance with a major focus on chorus work and world theatre. Pip is especially renowned for her site-specific work and theatrical art. Her expertise guided the students as they incorporated the Australian landscape into their performance.

The technical theatre students also had the opportunity to create a site-specific work in the form of a lighting design at the woodshed. This piece incorporated soft lighting against the beautiful old architecture creating an almost ethereal beauty. This performance leads into the work the technical class will complete for the musical A Little Shop of Horrors later on in the year.

This camp allowed students to view theatre and performance in a different perspective outside the range of linear theatre. By combining the classes, both year groups were able to create a piece as an ensemble and break the ice, in preparation for the year ahead. On the behalf of Radford College, we would like to thank Pip for her time and dedication to the drama program.

Announcements

TAEKWONDO - register now for winter

Taekondo - register now

Registrations for Taekwondo open Monday 25 March and close Friday 29 March 2019.

Donations sought for Radford musical

Household items needed for props

We require some household items to use as props in the upcoming Radford musical, Little Shop of Horrors.

We are hoping parents can have a look around at home to see if they have any of the following they are happy to donate:

Old timber ladders

Old clay or terracotta pots – no plastic pots please

Plastic flowers.

If you have any of these items to donate, please deliver them to the Performing Arts Centre by Friday, 5 April.

A box is set up outside the PAC office for collection.

Congratulations, Jake Smith Gibson!

U13 Bowler of the Year

Congratulations, Jake, on being named NSW DCA U13 Bowler of the Year - which in effect ranks him as the number 1 bowler for his age group in all of NSW and the ACT.